A New Path to Take
by Aki Hikaru
Summary: Sakura's seventeenth birthday finally came, and she's going to have to decide on something that she had been avoiding for quite a while.


**A New Path to Take**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto.

**Author's Headnote:** This is a ficlet (if there's such a thing) that was written as a tribute to Sakura's birthday (though I very well know that I've posted it several weeks after her birthday '^^). I love the girl for her strength and smarts though I don't like her holding on to Sasuke. I think she had enough suffering because of that boy and I believe that it's time for him to feel what she felt all those years. Uh, don't forget to read my foot notes, ok guys? Arigato gozaimasu!

**Summary:** On Sakura's birthday, an unwanted visitor watches her all day -- with her not knowing of course. What would that day bring the two lovebirds and what realization would they have?

^_^

Sakura woke up with a start. Today was her birthday. What a very nice way to start the day. Dreaming about Sasuke-kun. Although he had been away for more than four years already, she can't help but wish that he'll be knocking at her door, one morning, asking her to forgive him.

She laughed at this. She tapped her forehead and murmured, "Wake up, Sakura. You're seventeen. Realize that he isn't going back anymore."

She then shook her head and bit her lip. This very sentence made her cry. Always, everyday, every time. Sakura stood up, faced the mirror, and looked at herself. She tried her best to smile. She really couldn't bear the thought of Sasuke never going back. Her teary apple green eyes stared at the girl in the mirror.

She tried to think of other things, but it was futile. The only thing on her mind was that she was very pathetic. Here she was, trying to get over a certain raven-haired missing nin and obviously, it was useless. Thinking of him really made her weak and vulnerable. She watched her tears slowly run down her face. She jumped back to her bed and buried her face in her pillow.

"Baka Sasuke! I hate what you are always making me feel! You're always making me feel hopeless. You are always making me cry. I don't know what I love about you!"

She screamed out all her anger thinking that it would only fall on deaf ears. Rationally, it would be useless, she knew that Sasuke wouldn't hear it anyway, she simply need an outlet. So she continued.

"Don't you dare come knocking on my~"

Knock knock.

The pink haired medical nin stood up to open her bedroom door. A blonde woman was standing behind the door, carrying with her a cosmos.

"Ino."

"Hi, Sakura. I heard you screaming, so I thought I should pass by."

Sakura hugged Ino and brought her in. They sat at her bed and Ino started comforting Sakura..

"Sakura, I hope you won't be mad at me for this, but, is Sasuke worth all this? Don't you think it's time to let go? Don't you think that you're too stubborn? Why don't you just try looking for other things to do so that you won't think of him as much?"

"I don't know, Ino. I really don't."

Ino smiled at Sakura. "Well, we can't have all the answers right?"

Sakura nodded and wiped her tears. She had been able to train herself to be stronger physically, right? Why won't she be able to train her self to be stronger emotionally?

^_^

A yellow cosmos in a lavender vase sat on a certain pink haired medical nin's bedside table. A certain pink haired teen laid on the bed, sleeping peacefully, on her mouth was a smile of determination. A silhouette was blocking the moonlight from shining on her, and this silhouette had a sword tied on his back. He entered Sakura's room through the window and caressed the sleeping nin's cheek.

"I'm sorry, for causing you that much pain. Remember that **you** have **never been pathetic **in my eyes."

He planted a soft kiss on her forehead and vanished into the night.

^_^

The twenty-eighth day of March had left a pained teenage girl renewed strength and determination to be stronger than before and a broken young man painful memories and words that would remain in his heart until the day he would breathe his last.

^_^

Two teenagers who once walked the same path (until one decided to use a wrong shortcut) now walks on two totally different paths, one heading towards recovery and the other heading towards wounds.

owari

**Author's Footnotes:** Yeah, I know it's kinda rushed, but, it was kinda impromptu. This was created due to a request from a friend. Ok, announcement guys, I'll be leaving fanfiction writing... unless you guys give requests. I do hope you'd go and mail me. Haha. So, my email add is . [subject would be: REQUEST :) I'm expecting your email soon. :)] Although you could PM me. Haha. That would be easier.

Also, you could see my site, .com. If you have an account there, add me :) I would appreciate it. Really.


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